Al Jefferson and Kevin Love invited to Olympic squad!

[dunkonu21]

That's cuz Melo is a man among boys.

[Basti]

After the World Championships. They will officially be in effect October of this year for all the top level FIBA competitions. If anything it'll make Team USA a lot better having the rectangle lane, longer three point line, and restricted area in the paint. I'm curious to see which competitions don't qualify for this change right away. For mid level competitions, the rule change won't take place until after the 2012 Olympics in London.

thanks for the info. I'd like to see how FIBA teams adapt to those rule changes.

I also guess it will take half a decade for mid level competition (or lower) teams to adapt to it. I also have to admit I'm not a big fan of those rule changes. putting the 3 point line further away from the basket is okay IMO but implementing the restricted area and changing it from a trapezoid to a rectangle zone is a bit too much.

[Calinks]

Jerry Colangelo talks up our guys!

http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/fans/je ... 02_10.html

[southern wolf]

I'm surprised either of them got a call up. Great news though, whether they make it or not.

[shrink]

Was Al Jefferson an alternate for the Olympic team, but didn't get called up right at the end? That seems familiar, but I may be mis-remembering.

[mnWI]

After the World Championships. They will officially be in effect October of this year for all the top level FIBA competitions. If anything it'll make Team USA a lot better having the rectangle lane, longer three point line, and restricted area in the paint. I'm curious to see which competitions don't qualify for this change right away. For mid level competitions, the rule change won't take place until after the 2012 Olympics in London.

thanks for the info. I'd like to see how FIBA teams adapt to those rule changes.

I also guess it will take half a decade for mid level competition (or lower) teams to adapt to it. I also have to admit I'm not a big fan of those rule changes. putting the 3 point line further away from the basket is okay IMO but implementing the restricted area and changing it from a trapezoid to a rectangle zone is a bit too much.

I can understand not wanting the change, but I think it's a step in the right direction by FIBA to makes the rules uniform across the board. I don't think the changes will have a huge effect on the type of player that succeeds more in each particular situation either. In FIBA play, you are still going to have the more physical defensive rules for the perimeter, and laying guys out as they cut through the lane. The fact that you can still pack the paint defensively in the new FIBA rules also benefits the Europeans over the American players, who are used to 2.9 defensive strategy because of the defensive 3 second rule. Shooters and pick and roll guards will always succeed under those particular FIBA rules.

It'll never happen, but I'd love to see the rules made the same for every league in the world. Now you have FIBA rules, NBA rules, and then leagues in Asia, Australia and the Middle East who pick and choose different rules from both leagues. Then there's the lack of a shot-clock in US high schools, but that's an argument for a different thread.

[Basti]

After the World Championships. They will officially be in effect October of this year for all the top level FIBA competitions. If anything it'll make Team USA a lot better having the rectangle lane, longer three point line, and restricted area in the paint. I'm curious to see which competitions don't qualify for this change right away. For mid level competitions, the rule change won't take place until after the 2012 Olympics in London.

thanks for the info. I'd like to see how FIBA teams adapt to those rule changes.

I also guess it will take half a decade for mid level competition (or lower) teams to adapt to it. I also have to admit I'm not a big fan of those rule changes. putting the 3 point line further away from the basket is okay IMO but implementing the restricted area and changing it from a trapezoid to a rectangle zone is a bit too much.

I can understand not wanting the change, but I think it's a step in the right direction by FIBA to makes the rules uniform across the board. I don't think the changes will have a huge effect on the type of player that succeeds more in each particular situation either. In FIBA play, you are still going to have the more physical defensive rules for the perimeter, and laying guys out as they cut through the lane. The fact that you can still pack the paint defensively in the new FIBA rules also benefits the Europeans over the American players, who are used to 2.9 defensive strategy because of the defensive 3 second rule. Shooters and pick and roll guards will always succeed under those particular FIBA rules.

It'll never happen, but I'd love to see the rules made the same for every league in the world. Now you have FIBA rules, NBA rules, and then leagues in Asia, Australia and the Middle East who pick and choose different rules from both leagues. Then there's the lack of a shot-clock in US high schools, but that's an argument for a different thread.

yes it's a step into the right direction making the rules more uniform but IMO it's a bit weird if you consider that FIBA might have planned on changing the rules before Team USA won the gold medal in Beijing. if that's the case it kinda comes across as if they'd cave in towards Team USA. but I might just be talking out of my ass.